Following the news that Turkey’s Golcuk Naval Shipyard launched the second Type-214TR (Reis-class) air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarine;

Tushar Sudesh Mangure, Defense Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“Over the last decade, Turkey has established itself as a major manufacturer of defense equipment. The new Type-214TR (Reis-class) submarines, which should replace the Turkish navy’s ageing U-209/1200 Atılay-class submarines by 2027, will help the country to further expand its defense manufacturing infrastructure to cater to its military requirements.

“Apart from enhancing the navy’s underwater fleet, the Reis-class program is also expected to significantly improve the Golcuk Naval Shipyard’s submarine construction and outfitting capability as it will help the shipyard develop manufacturing processes and train manpower in submarine construction.

“The Reis-class program is also playing a crucial role in the development and establishment of a strong local submarine manufacturing ecosystem which will be utilized for the country’s National Submarine (MiLDEN) project. Several Turkish defense companies including Aselsan, STM, HAVELSAN, MilSOFT, STM, Gürdesan, Arıtaş, and İ-Marine are part of the local supply chain for submarine sub-systems for the Reis-class. The upgraded variants of these sub-systems can be installed in the advanced submarines that are to be built under the MiLDEN project.

“The Turkish navy is also planning to integrate several indigenous weapons including the anti-ship missile Atmaca and heavyweight torpedo Akya on the Reis-class submarine. This move will help Turkey reduce its reliance on US and European weapons which are part of the existing class of submarines.”